BANNER ELK, N.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team opened the Lees-McRae Tournament at Williams Gymnasium with a 3-2 (25-20, 17-25, 25-15, 15-25, 15-10) loss to King.

King opened the match by taking a 25-20 win in the first game. USC Aiken then pulled away for an easy 25-17 win in the second set.

King picked up a 25-15 win in game three to go ahead 2-1 in the match. The Pacers then looked to have the momentum going into the decisive fifth set by responding in the fourth set with a 25-15 win of their own.

King would hold off the Pacer charge in the fifth set, claiming a 15-10 win to take the match.

USC Aiken (4-5) finished its loss to King hitting .181 as a team. King (5-4) ended its win hitting .211 as a team.

King held a 10-5 total team block advantage in the match.

Shannon Byers (Morristown, Minn./Faribault HS) led USC Aiken in its loss, acquiring a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs.

Ashley Diedrich (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips HS) finished with a team-high 13 kills for USC Aiken.

Three Pacers in total collected double-digit digs in the match. Claire Patten (Boulder, Colo./Mercer) acquired a team-best 15 digs, while Leah Rodgers (Longwood, Fla./Lake Mary HS) finished with 11 digs.

Sheila Walsh (Fort Mill, S.C./Nation Ford HS) paced the USC Aiken attack in the match with 23 assists.

King's Summer Kremer led all players in the match with 18 kills.

USC Aiken will open the second day of the Lees-McRae Tournament with a match against tournament host Lees-McRae at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15. The Pacers will close out the tournament with a 2 p.m. match against North Greenville.